The invention concerns a drive system and a method of monitoring a hydrostatic drive.
In the design of hydrostatic drives, electronics are increasingly used to control the drives. As is shown in DE 43 27 651 A1, central electronics can be combined with electronic components which are arranged on the hydrostatic machines. This makes it possible to control the hydrostatic drive through the central electronics, each adjustment device which adjusts a particular hydrostatic machine being controlled by the electronics which are arranged locally on this hydrostatic machine. The central electronics and the decentralised control units are connected to each other via one interface in each case. Via this interface, the control signals which the central electronics generate are passed on to the control units of the individual hydrostatic machines. The central electronics also control any further valves which may be required.
In the case of the system proposed in DE 43 27 651 A1, it is disadvantageous that a mutual monitoring function is not provided. Thus if a malfunction occurs, the whole drive is not switched off. In particular, decentralised electronic systems with a distribution of control functions to central electronics and local control units of the hydrostatic machines do not use the potential of risk minimisation by mutual monitoring and switching off in the case of a fault.